Kebra Nagast

though thou dost not know the God of Israel, hast this wisdom which thou hast made to grow in thine heart, and [it hath made thee come] to see me, the vassal and my God, and the building of His sanctuary which I am establishing, and wherein I serve and move round about my Lady, the Tabernacle of the Law of the God of Israel, the holy and heavenly Zion. Now, I am I do the slave of my God, and I am not a free man not serve according to my own will but according to His Will. And this speech of mine springeth not from myself, but I give utterance only to what He maketh me to utter. Whatsoever He commandeth me that I do wheresoever He wisheth me to go thither I go slave of ; ; ; whatsoever He teacheth me that I speak ; that concerning which He giveth me wisdom I understand. For from being only dust He hath made me flesh, and from being only water He hath made me a solid man, and from being only an ejected drop, which shot forth upon the ground would have dried up on the surface of the earth, He hath fashioned me in His own likeness and hath made me in His own image." CONCERNING THE LABOURER And as Solomon was talking in this wise with the Queen, he saw a certain labourer carrying a stone upon his head and a skin of water upon his neck and shoulders, 27. and his food and his sandals were [tied] about his loins, his garand there were pieces of wood in his hands ments were ragged and tattered, the sweat fell in drops from his face, and water from the skin of water dripped ; down upon his feet. And the labourer passed before Solomon, and as he was going by the King said unto " " and the labourer stood still. And Stand still him, " Look the King turned to the Queen and said unto her, Wherein am I superior to this man ? And at this man. And wherein shall in what am I better than this man ? For I am a man and dust and I glory over this man ? ; 26 \